Australian Story-Volume 1 (1996)

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General		Extras
Category	Documentary	Main Menu Audio
Rating
Year Of Production	1996
Running Time	142:08 (Case: 140)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Ads Then Menu
Region Coding	1,2,3,4,5,6	Directed By	None Given
Studio Distributor	Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Caroline Jones
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI	$29.95	Music	None Given

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 2.0 (224Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	Varies
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	Unknown	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	None	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

     Australian Story has been an ABC success story since its début in 1996. It is a program dedicated to celebrating the dignity of the individual, and has cast its net broadly to fall upon the famous and the anonymous alike.

      Presented on this disc are five stories entirely representative of the ethos of the series - from the luminous (Hazel Hawke) to the notable (Wayne Bennett); from the triumphant (Dan Halloran) to the tragic (Victoria Friend), and to the try-hard (Peter Brocklehurst) - each half hour profile is the embodiment of what it is to be human, and particularly, human in Australia.

      The word "inspirational" is so oft-bandied about that it has probably become a somewhat hackneyed expression, but, in truth, it is the only accurate adjective that applies to these stories. Each one is so very different, and yet, underlying each tale there are unifying factors. Every one of the interviewees speaks with a remarkable humility and self-abnegation that belies, or perhaps proves, their essential nobility.

      Albert Einstein was known to say that "Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character." How true this statement is - but by definition, so is its antithesis - a positive attitude creates a positive character.

    Contained on this disc are the following episodes:

A Man For All Seasons (29:04)
(The blurb says...)
This is the story of Wayne Bennett - the legend behind the Brisbane Broncos and one of the most enigmatic and revered figures in Australian sport.
(This reviewer says...)
Bennett's story is all about respect. Self-respect in spite of difficult odds while growing up, respect for his work, and the respect he inspires from his players, the media, the corporate heads and the general public. I have not the slightest interest in Rugby, but I found this episode utterly captivating. Whilst the outside world may consider he's been dealt more than a few uneven knocks in his life, Bennett himself finds much for which to be grateful. This is not undertaken in the spirit of denial, but with an attitude of accepting the depth and richness of life, and finding its meaning and its texture. Seeing his three children is a true privilege - they are a testament to how a loving upbringing brings out the best in the next generation. Bennett is a low key, laconic kind of guy, but his commitment is unmistakable - a sensational opening episode that I shan't spoil by over-discussing.

About a Boy (25:27)
(The blurb says...)
Dan Halloran's moving story about growing up in a household dominated by his mother's schizophrenia.
(This reviewer says...)
Heartbreakingly beautiful. Young Dan has had a challenging life so far, but he has managed to draw deeply from the well of love and understanding, and make something worthwhile and precious from it. His aunt's admiration for this young, strong character beams from her face as she tells some of his story, which is laden with other unsung heroes - notably his wonderful father whose stoic support of his wife and protective love of his son must have led him to walking on a knife's edge so very many times, and also his mother, who, in spite of her illnesses, made it clear that he was a loved and treasured jewel in her life. Fuelled by an insatiable passion for cricket, Dan has made himself better, not bitter, and demonstrates a fascinating combination of youthful zest and a maturity that far exceeds his years.

The Big 'A' (29:40)
(The blurb says...)
Hazel Hawke speaks about her personal battle with Alzheimer's Disease.
(This reviewer says...)
Having seen my own father journey with this disease for several years, this was an intensely personal story to share. Hazel shows all the courage, spirit and verve that she came to be associated with in public life and *far* more beyond. Ever the practical, "get on with it" type of person, she shows that same pragmatic response to the Big A. This episode shows the magnificent relationship she has crafted with her children, and her own determination to 'not go gently into that good night' (to borrow a phrase from Dylan Thomas). She is formidable, approachable, self-deprecating, realistic, loving and flat-out WONDERFUL! With all the associated memories this episode brought up, I spent most of the 30 odd minutes howling like a blubbering fool - but this is NOT a downer story - it is a magnificent, celebratory piece about what makes life good and how to extract every last living drop from the marrow of existence.

On The Mountain (30:34)
(The blurb says...)
The emotion-filled story of Victoria Friend, survivor of a horrific plane crash that has left her emotionally and physically scarred.
(This reviewer says...)
The theme I found curiously redemptive in this story was how unwilling and incapable Victoria Friend was of playing the noble survivor after an horrific accident. We as a culture seem to have decided that should one 'miraculously' escape from what would seem inevitable death, we should instantaneously undergo some kind of world-saving epiphany that we are now moved to share with the masses. As this episode so resoundingly proves, this does not take into account such things as "survivor guilt", the horrific and long term physical and emotional scars, the intense grief, and the possibility that the changes that so crashingly are afforded us may not be welcome. We seem, as a general populace, to have a tabloid mentality to such seminal events. This *should* be the moment when we smile beatifically at the world and say, "through all my hardship, I'd like to say... I've become a better person, and life is so worth living." But what if that's NOT your truth? Friend's personal account of loss is, to my mind, the more profound because she openly admits that this accident was *not*, in itself, epiphanous. With time, she truly has healed more, and can now, to some extent, offer some message of hope - but I truly appreciate the groundedness and honesty of this woman that her grief was private, and her inclusion as a torchbearer for the hurting masses was an uncalled for burden.

Boots And All (28:03)
(The blurb says...)
The extraordinary adventure of Peter Brocklehurst, the cobbler who realised his dream of being a classical singer.
(This reviewer says...)
In recreational hours, I am a DVD reviewer. In professional hours, I am a job search trainer. I would like every one of my trainees to see this episode. Particularly job seekers over 30 who think their "time has passed" - but also the others who have not yet grasped the Theodore Roosevelt quote that says "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." I love the fact that Brocklehurst was being an excellent cobbler at the same time as his dream to sing was bubbling up in his soul (or is that 'sole'? - forgive me, terrible pun.) As his story unravels, we are connected to a delightfully honest and candid man who is the living embodiment that cream will always rise to the top. I loved how honest and unabashed he was - and his sister reveals some powerful insights to just how high this cream had to rise!

      Overall, I suspect I'm preaching to the converted here, but if you haven't had the opportunity to catch these episodes, let me endorse accessing this DVD. There is nothing didactic or superior about this series - these are people we know and understand. God's honest truth - this is the best antidote to "excusitis" I've seen in a very long time, without being patronising in the least. There is a saying that 'a rising tide lifts all ships' - and that is the hike on the plimsoll line that this presentation provides.

    In a word - "special".

Video

     With the exception of A Man For All Seasons (4:3), all the remaining episodes are presented at a ratio of 1.78:1.

     Overall, the quality is very, very good. This is quality filming with quality rendering. The highlights are high, the shadows have detail - it is rich, fulsome and interesting.

     The colours are perfect. After all, this is Aunty!

     This presentation is largely artefact free and has acceptably low grain levels.

     This is reported as an RSDL disc, but obviously, with the segmentation of episodes, there is no evidence of a layer change through the presentation of any one story.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     The soundtrack is delivered in English Dolby Digital 2.0, and this is perfectly acceptable for this particular presentation.

      The dialogue is nice and crisp and there are no audio sync problems in evidence. There are no subtitles available.

     Music is incidental and appropriate.

     The use of surround and subwoofer is minimal, but this is not inappropriate in this dialogue driven presentation.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Menu

     The menu is interactive and silent.

      If you want this, baby, you're gonna have to get this copy. But it's all good - the production levels are high.

     "Tell me what you CAN do, not what you can't."

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall